WorldStage– The Enugu Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned the duo of Samuel Inalegwu Okpala and Ezelibe Emmanuel Nzube before Justice Bala Khalifa-Mohammed Usman of the Federal High court sitting in Awka, Anambra State, on a four-count charge bordering on fraudulent personation, conspiracy and obtaining by false pretence to the tune of N8, 900, 000. 00.
Count two of the charge reads: “That you, Samuel Inalegwu Okpala, sometime in 2025, at Onitsha, Anambra State, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court with the intent to defraud, induced one Clara Uwakonye to deliver to you, the sum of N5, 500, 000. 00 under the pretence that she would receive return on investment, a representation which you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1 (1) (a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1 (3) of the same Act.”
Count four of the charge reads: “That you, Ezelibe Emmanuel Nzube, sometime in 2025, at Onitsha, Anambra State, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, fraudulently impersonated one Michael Michael by means of your Samsung A05 mobile phone, via a fake Facebook account, created by you with the intent to gain advantage for yourself from Lisbeth Hojiund and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 22 (2) (b) (i) & (ii) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention Etc.) (Amendment) Act, 2024 and punishable under Section 22 (2) (b) (IV) of the same Act.”
The defendants pleaded “not guilty” to the charges when they were read to them.
In view of their pleas, counsel to the EFCC, Assistant Superintendent of the EFCC, ASE I Somtochukwu C. Anyanwu prayed the court for a trial date and for the defendants to be remanded at the facility of the Nigerian Correctional Service, NCoS in Awka.
The matter was thereafter adjourned to April 29, 2026 for hearing of bail application while the defendants were remanded at the facility of the NCoS.
Okpala allegedly lured his victims into investing in a fake investment scheme on the pretext that they would receive return on investment. Upon receipt of the money, the defendant became unreachable and all efforts made by his victims to get their money back, proved abortive.
Nzube, on the other hand, conspired with Okpala to perpetrate the illegal act, he specialized in identity theft and making use of fictitious social media accounts with the intent to defraud unsuspecting victims.
